Closing device for bottles and like containers



Jan. 4, .1966 H. KRAKowsKY 3,227,303

4CLOSLG DEVICE FOR yBOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed April 25, 1962 11H HE 3a I WMM f JM United States Patent O 3,227,303 CLOSING DEVICE FOR BOTTLES AND LIKE CONTAINERS Hans Krakowsky, Hamburg, Germany, assignor to Hans Schwarzkopf, Hamburg-Altona, Germany Filed Apr. 25, 1962, Ser. No. 190,129 Claims priority, application Germany, Apr. 25, 1961, Sch 29,218/ 64 4 Claims. (Cl. 21S-42) The present invention relates to closing devices in general, and more particularly to a device which is especially suited for closing the outlets of bottles, vials, tubes and like containers. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a closing device which is especially suited for a single use on expendable containers of the type which, as a rule, are not intended to be refilled.

It is already known to provide containers for cosmetic preparations, medicines and like substances with throwaway closing devices which comprise tear-away strips similar to those used on cigarette packages. A drawback of such closing devices is that, if the strip tears away too rapidly, the user must employ a knife, pliers or another tool in order to open the container. Furthermore, the free end of the srtip on such closing devices is normally rather small so that a clumsy person will be unable to properly grasp the strip.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved closing device which is constructed and assembled in such a way that it can properly close and/ or seal the outlet of a container and that it may be very rapidly and conveniently opened without necessitating the utilization of any tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closing device of the just outlined characteristics which is of very simple construction, which can be manufactured as a low-cost throw-away article, which can be manufactured in any desired size or shape so as to tit into the discharge ends or spouts of differently dimensioned and/or conguration bottles, vials, tubes and other containers, and which may assume an eye-pleasing appearance `so as to enhance the sales appeal of the product stored in the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closing device of the above described type which may be opened by exertion of a very small force so that it may be handled not only by adults but also by children and/ or by sick persons.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a closing device of the above outlined characteristics which may simultaneously serve as a means for metering or dosing the material which is being dispensed from the container.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which embodies a closing device of 4the above outlined characteristics.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provision of a closing device which comprises a container-engaging first member having an opening communicating with the outlet of the container so that the contents of the container may be evacuated therethrough, and a second member comprising a sealing portion which is received in and an acuating portion extending outwardly from the opening of the rst member. At least one of these members consists of deformable (and preferably elastic) material so that the sealing portion of the second member may be forcibly removed from the opening in response to pressure applied against the actuating portion.

In one of its preferred forms, the rst member is provided with an opening which diverges inwardly toward the outlet of the container, and the sealing portion of the second member is of complementary configuration so as to require some force before it can be removed in response to tilting of the second member. The rst member may assume the shape of an elastic sleeve which is provided with internal projections received in external recesses formed in the discharge end of the container, the projections providing a more or less permanent connection between the container and the rst member.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a central vertical section through the neck portion of a container in the form of a bottle and through a closing device which is applied to the neck portion and which embodies one form of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a partly elevational and partly sectional view of a modified closing device which is applied to the neck portion of a vial; and

FIG. 3 is a similar partly elevational and partlysectional View of a further sealing device which is applied to the discharge end of a plastic container.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated ernbodiments, and rst to FIG. 1, there is shown a dispenser comprising a container in the form of a glass bottle 10 having a neck 11 which comprises a reinforced annular end portion 12 provides with external recesses or depressions in the form of notches or grooves 13. The inner end face of the end Iportion 12 defines a shoulder 14 which is engaged by the inwardly extending annular ange 16 provided at the inner end of a tubular portion forming part of an annular bottle-engaging member or sleeve 15, the latter provided with internal projections in the form of ribs, teeth or semispherical beads 7. The projections 17 are received in the grooves 13 and, together with the flange 16, secure the sleeve 15 to the annular portion 12 in such a way that the sleeve is held against angular and axial movements. The front end wall 18 which is provided at the outer end of the sleeve 15 assumes the form of a ring and is adjacent to the front end face 19 of the annular portion 12. This ring 18 is provided with an opening 20 whose cross-sectional area increases gradually from the outer toward the inner side thereof. It is assumed that the opening 20 is bounded by a conical wall, and it will be noted that this opening is fully aligned with the oulet 21 of the bottle 10.

The sleeve 15 constitutes one member of the improved sealing d evice whose other member assumes the form of a plug 22 having a conical sealing portion 23 sealingly received in the opening 20 and an actua-ting portion 24 which extends -outwardly from the outer side of the ring 18. This actuating portion may asume the form o-f a substantially spherical or tear-shaped knob, and the plug 22 may be partially hollow so as to achieve savings in Weight and material. The maximum transverse dimension of the actuating portion 24 preferably exceeds slightly the smallest diameter of the opening 20 so that the portion 24 must be forced through the opening when 4the closing device 15, 22 is assembled.

The sleeve 15 consists of at least slightly elastic synthetic plastic material, and the material of the plug 22 is a rigid plastic. As will be readily understood upon full perusal of this description, the closing device of my invention may consist of a rigid sleeve and an elastic plug, or the sleeve and the plug may consist of elastic material. In fact, since the closing device of my invention is normally of the throw-away type, it may be sufficient to use an inelastic sleeve of deformable material which normally holds the plug but which can yield to sucient force so as to permit removal of the plug. The cavity 25 in the plug 22 may be utilized for metering the material which is being dispensed from the container subsequent to removal of the sealing portion 23 from the opening 20. The inner end face of the sealing portion 23 has a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the outlet 21 so that the sealing portion 23 abuts against the end face 19.

The closing device of FIG. 1 is applied and utilized as follows:

After the container 10 is lled with a liquid, pulverulent pellet-shaped, spherically configurated or granular substance, and after the plug 22 is already inserted into the sleeve so that its sealing portion 23 projects into the opening 20, the sleeve is applied to the annular portion 12 and is more or less permanently retained thereon because the flange 16 engages the shoulder 14 and because the projection or projections 17 enter the grooves 13. If the container 10 receives a liquid substance or a solid material which should remain sealed from the atmosphere (eg, a hygroscopic powder), the inner side of the ring 18 and/ or the portion 23 will preferably sealingly engage the end face 19 of the annular portion 12. As shown in FIG. l, the sealing portion 23 assumes the form of a truncated cone whose inner end has a diameter exceeding the maximum diameter of the opening 20 so that the inner end of the sealing portion 23 projects inwardly of and beyond the inner side of the ring 18 (see the gap 26) and is biased into sealing engagement with the annular portion 12 by the resilient material of the sleeve 15 which is applied under at least some tension so that its ring 18 tends to maintain the plug in engagement with the annular portion 12.

If the user desires to open the bottle, he merely applies linger pressure against the actuating portion 24 in the direction indicated by the arrow 27 so as to tilt the plug 22 and to thereby forcibly remove the sealing portion 23 from the opening 20, whereby the material stored in the bottle may be discharged through the outlet 21 and through the opening 20. As stated before, the cavity in the plug 22 may be utilized for metering a liquid, granular or pulverulent material which is being dispensed from the bottle. l

The closing device of my invention is preferably of the throw-away type, i.e. it is normally intended for a single use and is discarded with the empty container after the plug 22 is withdrawn from the opening 20. Of course, and particularly if the sleeve 15 is provided with internal threads which mesh with external threads on the neck of a bottle or another container, the closing device may be reused as often as desired, but I have found that the device of my invention may be manufactured at such a low cost that it is more practical to discard it once the plug is separated from the sleeve. For example, the closing device may be utilized as an expendable cover for bottles, vials, plastic dispensers, glass tubes and other types of containers which contain cosmetics such as liquid soap or shampoo, pills, pellets and candies, or liquids and pulverulent medicine. Furthermore, the novel device may be used as a cover on dispensers for salt and/ or pepper served on board of aircraft, and for many other purposes.

The dispenser of FIG. 2 comprises a container in the form of a glass vial 30 whose neck portion or discharge end 31 is surrounded by a rigid thermoplastic sleeve 32 having a ring-shaped end wall 33 provided with an inwardly diverging opening 34 of polygonal outline. The sleeve 32 may be permanently fastened to the neck portion 31, e.g. by being molded thereon and by being thereupon permitted to set so that its end wall 33 engages and forces the sealing portion 36 of the plug 35 into sealing engagement with the front end face of the vial 30. The sealing portion assumes the shape of a truncated pyramid, and the plug consists of slightly elastic material and is preferably free of cavities so that a certain tilting pressure applied against its elongated cylindrical actuating portion 37 suflices to deform and to permit withdrawal of the sealing portion 36 from the opening 34. This opening is aligned with the outlet 38 of the vial so that the user may readily dispense the contents of the vial once the plug 35 is removed. It is rather difficult to reinsert the plug into the opening 34 so that the closing device 32, 35 of FIG. 2 may be considered to constitute an expendable throw-away cover for the vial 30. The means for retaining the sleeve 32 on the neck portion 31 may assume the form of saw-tooth shaped or otherwise congurated recesses in the neck portion 31 and of cornplementary internal projections on the sleeve 32.

FIG. 3 illustrates a further dispenser comprising a plastic container 40 whose neck portion or discharge end 41 is provided with external threads 42 mating with internal threads 44 of a sleeve 43. This sleeve has a front end wall in the form of a ring 45 which is provided with a cylindrical opening 46 sealed by the portion 48 of a rigid plug 47. The sealing portion 48 comprises a cylindrical part received in the opening 46 and a collar 49 whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the opening 46 and which is adjacent to the end face of the neck portion 41. A certain tilting pressure against the actuating portion 50 of the plug 47 is sufficient to deform the elastic wall 45 and to permit the collar 49 to pass outwardly through the opening 46 so that the material contained in the container 40 may be dispensed through the outlet 51 and through the opening 46. A gasket 52 of rubber like material is sealingly received between the ring 45 and the front end face of the neck portion 41 so as to surround the collar 49.

The closing device 43, 47 of FIG. 3 is especially suited for use on containers whose contents need not be airtighly sealed from the atmosphere, e.g. headache pills and the like. The conical sealing portion 23 of FIG. 1 or the pyramidal sealing portion 36 of FIG. 2 is likely to provide a superior sealing action than the collar 49 of FIG. 3. Care should be taken that the maximum transverse dimension of the plug does not substantially exceed the minimum transverse dimension of the opening in the sleeve; otherwise, the sleeve or the plug would be subjected to excessive deformation at the time the closing device is being assembled preparatory to its application to the discharge end of a container.

It will be seen that, in each of its embodiments, the closing device of my invention comprises a bottle-engaging member provided with an opening which is ladapted to communicate with the outlet of the container, and a second member which comprises a sealing portion having at least at its innermost end a transverse dimension which is greater than the minimum transverse dimension of the opening in the first member so that the sealing portion `is normally retained in the opening and is removable therefrom upon application of suicient force against that portion of the second member which projects outwardly from and beyond the opening. Since at least one of the cooperating members consists of at least slightly deformable material, and since the closing device of my invention is mainly contemplated for use on comparatively small containers, the force necessary for removal of the sealing portion from its opening may be produced by nger pressure or by pressing the actuating portion against a hard object.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and rangeY `of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a container including an end portion having a front end face and an outlet extending inwardly from said front end face; and a closing device comprising a substantially sleevelike irst member having la tubular portion at least partly surrounding and permanently secured to said end portion land an end Wall adjacent to said end face, said end wall having an opening `at least partly aligned with and diverging in a direction toward said -outlet thus forming a slanted surface, and a second member having a sealing portion sealingly received .in s-aid opening and an inner face abutting against -said front end face of the end portion of said container, Isaid sealing portion being formed with a slanted surface engaging said slanted surface of said opening, and an actuating portion projecting outwardly from said end Wall, at least one of said members consisting of elastic material so that said sealing portion may be forcibly removed from said opening while re-inserti'on of said sealing portion into said opening is blocked by the larger diameter of said inner face of said second member.

2. A dispenser comprising, in combination, a container including an end portion having a front end face and an outlet extending inwardly from said front end face; and a closing device comprising a substantially sleeve-like irst member of elastic material having a tubular portion at least partly surrounding and permanently secured to said end portion and an end wall adjacentrto said end face, said end wall having an opening at least partly aligned with and diverging in a direction toward said outlet -thus forming a slanted surface, and a second member of rigid plastic having a sealing portion sealingly received in said opening and -a slanted surface engaging said slanted surface, and an actu-ating portion projecting outwardly from said end wall, at least one of said members consisting of elastic material so that said sealing portion may be forcibly removed from said opening, while re-insertion of said sealing por-tion into said opening is blocked by the second member having .a maximum diameter which is greater than the minimum diameter of said opening in said end wall.

3. A dispenser a-s set forth in claim `2, wherein the maximum transverse direction of said actuating portion exceeds the minimum transverse dimension of said open ing.

4. A dispenser as set forth in claim 2, wherein said second member has a cavity extending outwardly from and communica-ting with sai-d outlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,108,676 8/ 1914 Lannoye. 2,395,149 2/1-946 Shaw 21S-46 2,620,938 12/11952 Jesnig 21S-41 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,095,681 `12/ 1954 France.

812,122 8/1951 Germany. 5 61,548 4/11957 Italy. 347,762 8 1960 Switzerland ,GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMON-D, FRANKLIN T. GARRETT,

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Examiners. 

1. A DISPENSER COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CONTAINER INCLUDING AN END PORTION HAVING A FRONT END FACE AND AN OUTLET EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM SAID FRONT END FACE; AND A CLOSING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY SLEEVELIKE FIRST MEMBER HAVING A TUBULAR PORTION AT LEAST PARTLY SURROUNDING AND PERMANENTLY SECURED TO SAID END PORTION AND AN END WALL ADJACENT TO SAID END FACE, SAID END WALL HAVING AN OPENING AT LEAST PARTLY ALIGNED WITH AND DIVERGING IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID OUTLET THUS FORMING A SLANTED SURFACE, AND A SECOND MEMBER HAVING A SEALING PORTION SEALINGLY RECEIVED IN SAID OPENING AND AN INNER FACE ABUTTING AGAINST SAID FRONT END FACE OF THE END PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID SEALING PORTION BEING FROMED WITH A SLANTED SURFACE ENGAGING SAID SLANTED SURFACE OF SAID OPENING, AND AN ACTUATING PORTION PROJECTING OUTWARLDY FROM SAID END WALL, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS CONSISTING OF ELASTIC MATERIAL SO THAT SAID SEALING PORTION MAY BE FORCIBLY REMOVED FROM SAID OPENING WHILE RE-INSERTION OF SAID SEALING PORTION INTO SAID OPENING IS BLOCKED BY THE LARGER DIAMETER OF SAID INNER FACE OF SAID SECOND MEMBER. 